The Lost World: treehouse news

about

The following "Treehouse News" posts appeared weekly on the official The Lost World Discussion Board.

Started during the production of the third series by Nick Jacobs, Assistant Story Editor on The Lost World, the messages provided information about upcoming episodes, production news, and behind the scenes tidbits, giving fans a rare chance to hear from the people involved in the creation of the series.

With the demise of the official site and message board, I've reposted the messages here.

Sept 19, 2002

TREEHOUSE NEWS 09 19 02

SEASON FOUR PRODUCTION NEWS

We're happy to report a slight change in the status of Season Four. Not only is Coote/Hayes continuing to "work on it," in this past week there's even been a bit a progress.

We know this is a slow process, but it's a complex situation, and in a business that's seen the recent, outright cancellations of two fine series -- Witchblade and Farscape -- we should all be encouraged that so many people are working so hard to keep TLW on the air.

To recap, here's where we stand:

1. There will be no new episodes of TLW for the fall.

2. Over the next year, TLW will not disappear from the airwaves because New Line will broadcast episodes from Seasons One, Two, and Three in the time slots they sold for Season Four. As always, Treehouse News will post the schedule for the next four episodes to air in the United States.

3. As far as Coote/Hayes and Over The Hill Gang are concerned, the series is not cancelled, merely delayed. The two companies are trying to develop a deal structure which will allow them to film a complete fourth season of 22 episodes, with production beginning in January, 2003. Potential airdates are not yet confirmed.

This delayed Season Four is NOT definite at this time, but it is what everyone is working hard to accomplish.

It could be many weeks before we know if Coote/Hayes and OTHG will be successful in getting Season Four into production, so be patient. (Something at which we've all had a lot of practice.)

4. We'll continue to post Treehouse News every Wednesday night (and Updates whenever circumstances warrant) until we all know how things are going to turn out.

For more detailed information on how this situation came about, check these previous postings of TREEHOUSE NEWS.

http://www.lostworldtv.net/lwubb/Forum1/HTML/006383.html

http://www.lostworldtv.net/lwubb/Forum1/HTML/006500.html

http://www.lostworldtv.net/lwubb/Forum1/HTML/006667.html

http://www.lostworldtv.net/lwubb/Forum1/HTML/006854.html

DAVID ORTH CHAT

So far everything is on track for the long-awaited Internet Chat with David Orth, scheduled for Sunday, September 29, at 2 PM Toronto time, which is the same time zone as New York.

Be sure to check the Quick News Updates announcement in the upper left of this forum's topic page for any schedule changes.

SEASON THREE BROADCAST SCHEDULE

Each week, Treehouse News lists the next four episodes to air in the U.S.

Summer reruns continue with:

09/16/02 - 09/22/02 Episode 321 "Trapped"

09/23/02 - 09/29/02 Episode 322 "Heart of the Storm, Part 1"

The new, "Best of TLW" Season begins with:

09/30/02 - 10/06/02 Episode Y401 "The Journey Begins"

10/07/02 - 10/13/02 Episode Y402 "Stranded"

FOR THE RECORD: TLW Newsletter

If you like finding out more about The Lost World, be sure you sign up for the online weekly newsletter from New Line. In addition to details and photos from the coming week's episode, it always includes an Inside Scoop from the Treehouse News detailing some of the fascinating background detail that goes into the series. This week's featured item looks at an extremely important element of "Trapped" -- Caves. How are they formed, and, even more important, is it reasonable to expect the Plateau to have so many?

1. New Line's policy is to allow only people 18 years of age and older to subscribe. (You must be at least 13 years old to register on this board without a parent's or guardian's approval.) People who have registered on the board might have had their age matched to their e-mail address, so that any attempt by someone 17 or younger to sign up for the newsletter after having registered for the board might be automatically bounced to the "Sorry, we can't register you at this time" message.

If you are under 18 and still wish to receive the Newsletter, you might want to have a friend forward it to you each week. Or, each Friday you can link to the most recent Newsletter from the Quick News Updates announcement on the topic page of this forum.

2. Some people have had the experience of having their Newsletter subscription cut off. New Line believes one possible explanation for this is that some Internet Service Providers are now using anti-spam filters intended to stop junk e-mail. Unfortunately, some of these filters interpret the weekly Newsletter as unsolicited junk e-mail, and thus block it. This is a difficulty that has to be resolved through the recipient's ISP. However, it should still be possible for copies of the Newsletter to be forwarded to you from another, non-business e-mail address.

BEHIND THE SCENES FOR THIS WEEK'S EPISODE: "Trapped"

... will appear next week, along with Behind the Scenes for "Heart of the Storm, Part 1." Our apologies for the delay.

NEXT WEEK: Double Behind the Scenes and all the latest news...

J&G

TREEHOUSE NEWS 01 17 03

SEASON FOUR PRODUCTION NEWS

Unfortunately, the news this week isn't encouraging. As we reported last week, like almost every other syndicated series in the U.S. television market, the fate of TLW's long-delayed fourth season could hinge on what happens at the upcoming NATPE (National Association of Television Program Executives) Convention, to be held January 20 - 23 in New Orleans. The NATPE convention is often a necessary first step for any syndicated series to succeed in the American television market because it's traditionally the starting point for negotiating and closing the many agreements needed to ensure time slots are available for the upcoming season. We're sorry to say that neither New Line nor any other distributor at NATPE with a connection to TLW will be offering Season Four episodes for the 2003-2004 season.

Though we do not have official confirmation at this time, it is our understanding of the television business that without a sales presence for TLW at NATPE, it could prove almost impossible to get a fourth season on the air. There might be a slim, outside chance of a "mid-season" start, but to be fair, we're not sure how that could be accomplished in the current syndicated market.

Does this mean TLW is dead? Not necessarily. Though the prospect of a traditional fourth season does seem unlikely now, there is a fallback "Plan B" to try and produce at least one television movie to resolve the series. Understandably, no one has wanted to pursue that option until there was absolutely no chance of the series continuing, and as much as we hate to say it, TLW might be at that point.

Since NATPE begins next week, we should soon have the official word about TLW's fate and possible next steps, and we will report all news here as we receive it.

In the meantime, we truly hope you won't give up your support or well wishes for the series. Though the next week might bring a disappointing end to six months' of anxious waiting, the possibility of a television movie to resolve the series could very well hinge on viewer support -- i.e. a letter-writing campaign.

Stay tuned, and we'll continue to bring you all the news, of whatever kind, in next week's posting.

PETER McCAULEY CHAT

As reported earlier this week, Peter McCauley had a sudden schedule conflict and asked to reschedule his chat with the members of this board by one week. The new time for the chat is Sunday, January 26, 2003, at 11:00 AM in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Chat transcripts for Michael Sinelnikoff, David Orth, Jennifer O'Dell, Rachel Blakely, Will Snow, and the two of us (J&G), are posted on this forum. Peter's transcript will also be posted after his chat, as soon as it becomes available.

We're still awaiting confirmation from Lara Cox, who has also expressed her willingness to take part in a chat.

"BEST OF TLW" SEASON BROADCAST SCHEDULE

Each week, Treehouse News lists the next four episodes to air in the U.S. weekly syndicated timeslots.

If you like finding out more about The Lost World, be sure you sign up for the online weekly newsletter from New Line. In addition to details and photos from the coming week's episode, it always includes our Inside Scoop from the Treehouse News detailing some of the fascinating background detail that goes into the series. This week, find out all the many ways there supposedly are to make a "Prophecy."

If you experience any difficulty subscribing to the Newsletter, you can find the link to the latest edition in the Quick News Updates announcement in the upper left of this forum's topic page. The link is usually updated every Friday.

NEXT WEEK: More news as it happens, and the countdown to Peter's chat continues...

J&G

TREEHOUSE NEWS 01 22 03

SEASON FOUR OFFICIALLY GONE...

With great appreciation for everyone on this board who has remained so positive and supportive since the delay in production was announced last August, we must finally report that there has been no last-minute save of TLW, and that the long-awaited official word is there will be no Season Four.

Obviously, this is as great a disappointment to everyone in the cast and crew as it is to the members of this board and the millions of TLW viewers around the world. With the encouragement and support of Executive Producer Jeff Hayes, we have shared as much as possible of the roller-coaster ride that's been going on behind the scenes these past five months, and all we can add to our previous postings is that everyone involved in the attempt to bring Season Four to the screen did so with the best of intentions, and with a full understanding of the strength and value of TLW's audience and ratings. The inability to come to a positive conclusion regarding financial arrangements for a new season was not the result of corporate greed, executives who don't care about the audience, or mistaken negotiating tactics. Sometimes, even at the best of times, reasonable people can't agree, and as unsatisfying as that explanation is, that's the bottom line.

On a slightly more positive note, as we mentioned last week, there is a Plan B -- a television movie that would continue from the cliffhanger at the end of Season Three ("Heart of the Storm, Part I"), and resolve the series' major storylines. To do all that in a single television movie isn't necessarily too much to accomplish in a satisfying way because Executive Producer Guy Mullally and the two of us (J&G) have already determined what those resolutions are, and, in fact, set some of them up in Season Three. If the television movie becomes a reality, rest assured that all involved in its production will do everything we can to be sure TLW's fans are not disappointed.

Which brings us to a round of FAQs...

What will it take to make a possible television movie a reality? At this stage, we don't know any details. However, Jeff Hayes, who is currently on location in Australia for another Coote/Hayes production, is actively starting the planning process, and Guy and we expect to hear from him soon about proceeding with the resolution story. Rest assured that we will report all developments and decisions (but no story details!) on this board.

What happens if there is no television movie? Coote/Hayes, Guy, and we will not leave fans hanging. If we reach the point at which we know with absolute certainty there will not be a television movie to resolve the series, we will move to Plan C and will prepare a written document describing the untold secrets and lost stories of TLW, along with the resolutions the Story Department had been working toward. The document will be freely available online for everyone.

What can fans do now? Remain positive, and don't let frustration and disappointment turn to anger. Over these past five months, a letter-writing campaign to "save" TLW -- even if directed to the people involved in the negotiations -- would have been unable to change things because no one had any doubt that the series had an audience large enough to justify continued production. It's important to remember that at no time did anyone give the order to "cancel" TLW.

However, in the weeks ahead, a letter-writing campaign could be very effective in helping support a TLW television movie, and you can be sure we will post all the relevant details (names, addresses...) on the board. In the meantime, there's no harm in sharing your feelings about TLW with your local broadcaster and with New Line. All we suggest is that you keep your letters and e-mails positive -- no threats or diatribes that might make a broadcaster discount your appreciation of the series. As many of you have said on this board, TLW was one of those rare shows that was suitable for young viewers while still being interesting for adults. That was a goal of everyone on the production, and we're proud to have achieved it. Mention the importance of that aspect of TLW to the broadcasters you write to, and perhaps you'll make it easier for the next family-friendly series that comes along to make it to the air.

What will happen to this board? It will definitely stay in business until the end of September, 2003. As someone noted earlier on the board, New Line is selling the existing 66 episodes of TLW at this year's NATPE. If the series continues in syndication in the U.S. market -- and right now we have every reason to believe it will -- then it is more than likely that New Line will maintain this board for as long as that remains the case. However, we are seeking official confirmation from New Line and will report it here.

In the meantime, we hope everyone on this board is aware of the uniqueness of the online community you have created here, and that you will continue to visit, have OT conversations -- silly or serious, talk about fanfic and videos, make new friends, and welcome all the new TLW viewers who stumble into this part of the Plateau. There is not another board like this on the web, and we hope the end of new episodes doesn't mean the end of this remarkable group of people of all ages from around the world.

What will happen to Treehouse News? Unfortunately, with the end of ongoing negotiations, there really won't be any news to report on a regular basis, so weekly postings of Treehouse News will end after next week. HOWEVER, we will still visit from time to time with reports on upcoming chats, cast and crew news, and any television-movie developments as they are warranted. In other words, you won't have to check in on Wednesday nights anymore -- you'll have to check in every day in case something's happened!

No doubt there are many other questions to be answered at this time, and we'll be back next week to do the best we can to answer them.

PETER McCAULEY CHAT

Peter McCauley's chat is scheduled for Sunday, January 26, 2003, at 11:00 AM in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Chat transcripts for Michael Sinelnikoff, David Orth, Jennifer O'Dell, Rachel Blakely, Will Snow, and the two of us (J&G), are posted on this forum. Peter's transcript will also be posted after his chat, as soon as it becomes available.

We're still awaiting confirmation from Lara Cox, who has also expressed her willingness to take part in a chat.

And last but not least, Will Snow will definitely be back for a second chat in the near future. Watch for details soon.

"BEST OF TLW" SEASON BROADCAST SCHEDULE

Each week, Treehouse News lists the next four episodes to air in the U.S. weekly syndicated timeslots.

If you like finding out more about The Lost World, be sure you sign up for the online weekly newsletter from New Line. In addition to details and photos from the coming week's episode, it always includes our Inside Scoop from the Treehouse News detailing some of the fascinating background detail that goes into the series. This week for "Barbarians At the Gate," a closer look at the origin and science of Challenger's balloon.

If you experience any difficulty subscribing to the Newsletter, you can find the link to the latest edition in the Quick News Updates announcement in the upper left of this forum's topic page. The link is usually updated every Friday.

NEXT WEEK: A possibility of television-movie news, and our last regular posting...

J&G

TREEHOUSE NEWS UPDATE 01 30 03

For those of you who might have missed it, one of the executive producers of TLW, Peter Bergmann, posted this message on Tuesday, January 28:

As the Executive Producer of The Lost World I was astonished to read that Year 4 is not to be. For ALL you Fans, we are actively and heavily involved in negotiations to make Year 4 and subsequent years a reality. New Line has opted NOT to pursue another Year BUT several distributors have stepped to the plate for multi-year contracts and we are working very hard to get organized to make YEAR 4 a reality! So let's not hold a wake quite yet!

Peter Bergmann

Peter Bergmann and his partners in the Over the Hill Gang helped Coote/Hayes save TLW after Season Two, to bring us all Season Three, and since then they have been working hard to bring us Season Four and beyond.

Since Coote/Hayes informed us last week that all hope for Season Four had faded, we - and they - were understandably surprised by Dr. Bergmann's posting, and we sincerely hope this means that somewhere along the line wires crossed and, as Dr. Bergmann suggests, that there is still a chance for new TLW episodes to return to production. We would love Jeff Hayes to tell us to post a retraction to last week's Treehouse News!

As they say on CNN, this is a developing story, and we'll have more to report after Coote/Hayes and the Over the Hill Gang have talked again.

We'll post more news as soon as we get an update from the Executive Producers.

J&G

TREEHOUSE NEWS ULTRALITE 01 31 2003

IT'S OFFICIAL! After talking to TLW executive producers Jeff Hayes and Peter Bergmann, we have been asked to post the following exciting announcement:

Negotiations for TLW's Season 4 are definitely continuing and all concerned are working hard for successful resumption of production this year.

So the New Year's resolution for us all is: Don't even think about giving up!

As always, everyone involved with TLW thanks the members of this board for their unflagging support and good wishes.

J&G

epilogue

Unfortunately, there never was a fourth series of The Lost World but a document outlining the "Secrets and stories for the unproduced fourth season of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Lost World" was released in August of 2005 during the Lost World Convention. You can download that document (.pdf) and see what was planned for the series.